09 September 2013

7 New Cardinal-Priests in October?

No, I am not suggesting a date for an upcoming Consistory to create cardinals (although that too is a possibility, see below). Rather, due to Canon 350 §5, there are seven existing Cardinal-Deacons that will become eligble to become Cardinal-Priests on 21 Oct 2013 (10 years after they were created Cardinal-Deacons).

The last such elevation was 6 Cardinal-Deacons becoming Cardinal-Priests on 21 February 2011. In that case, all 6 retained their same title, each being elevated pro hac vice.

In the past, these elevations have been almost automatic, it remains to be seen if the same will be true under Pope Francis. 

The seven who will be eligible are (with their current deaconry):
Regarding a Consistory to create new Cardinals, as of 20 Oct 2013, there will only be 109 Cardinal Electors. This is low enough that a consistory becomes likely. It is extremely likely before the end of 2014, at that point there would only be 97 Cardinal Electors, a number not seen since the months leading up to the February 2001 consistory.

All that being said, it is always hard to predict anything about the first consistory to create cardinals of a new Pope.

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